Pressure balance control valve



Filed Aug. 29, 1957 A118 '2, `1960 E. E. JOHNSTON 2,947,287

PRESSURE BALANCE CONTROL. VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 so a 22115735 433 3 ,3

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FIG.

EVERETT t'. JOHNSTON IN VENTOR.

A TTORNE Y Augi 2, 1960 E. EJJoHNsToN PRESSURE BALANCE CONTROL VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1957 EVE/P5775. JHA/STON A TTORNE Y United States Patent-.O

2,947,281 PRESSURE BALANCE CONTROL VALVE Everett Johnston, Fort Worth, Tex., assignor to Stalarts, Inc., Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Aug. 29, 1957, Ser. No. 681,041

' t 6 claims. (01.121-45) 2,947,287 Patented Aug. 2, 1960 I inventionrindicated generally at 2, includes a hexagonal housing 3 having-aninlet port 4, a control port 5, a directing port 6, and an exhaust port 7,*which ports are controlled by the internal-parts of a spring loaded sleeve piston 8,a spring loaded large piston 9, a ball 10, a stop in the form of pin11,.and a locking port 13.

The housing 3 is made up-from hexagonal bar stock or similar material and comprisesl three separate sections, identified as a front section 14, a middle section 15, and a rear sectionv 16. The front section i1'4 includes the inlet port14 whichv'opens into an axial chamber 17 in which sleeve piston-8` is partially located, and a counterbore chamber 18 which is concentric with chamber 17 and opens to theinte'rnal end of section 14. The extreme front end of front section 14is threaded to receive a manual adjustment screw 19 which abuts the end of plug 20a-nd imparts axialadjustment to compression spring 211in chamber 17.v A boss V22 surrounds counterbore chamber 18 andlcontainsradially aligned holes 23 to receive pin 1'1.' The middle section 15 includes a counterbore 24which snugly engages boss 22 until its front face uid control valve having a novel ball andpin combination to permit openingv .andV closing of the power outlet port of this valve.

And yet another object is to provide a fluid control valve having `a hollow sleeve to be moved axially by a fluid piston to provide the opening and closing of the ball and pin structure of the invention.

And a still-further object is to provide a control valve which is comprised of three axially aligned housing sections which cooperate to form internal passageways to provide the operating functions of this valve.

And another object is to provide a control valve which can direct very large operating pressures with the application of a very small controlling force to the valve.

These Vand other objects `and advantages will be apparent from -an examination of the following specification and drawings in which:

Figure l1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of the fluid control valve of this invention in its exhaust position.

Figure 2 Vis a fragmentary cross-sectional and elevational view of the device of Figure 1 showing this valve in its pressure directing position.

. Figure 3 is a front end elevational view.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4 4 of Figure .1.

Figure 5 is a detail View of the center housing member of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 6 is a detail view in fragmentary cross-section of the center sleeve member of Figures l and 2.

. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the large piston of this invention detached from the valve shown in Figure 1.

`Figure 8 is a schematic drawing showing the operating cycle `of the Ifluid control valve as employed in a power cylinder circuit, with the cylinder piston shown `in its retracted position. Y

Figure 9 isa drawing of the device'of IFigure 8 showing :the piston in an extended position.

A Referring tothe characters of reference on the draw-I ing, it will be observed that the control valve of this 25 a-butsfsection 14 in lluid-y tight relation. A small bore 26 in thisfsection aligns with axial bore 17 and is adapted to be slideably engaged vby sleeve pistonV 8 at assembly. The rear face 27 of section 15 abuts rear section 16 in iluid tightjrelation and a small ridge 28 of this section engages the bore 29 of section 16 to insure alignment of these two sections. ously mentioned control port 5 which opens into the bore 29 whichcomprises thel cylinder for piston 9, and section 16-also includes the small threaded locking port 13 which opens radially from bore 29 to the locking bypass channel 30 which runs through each of the sections 14-16 and vopens into port 4. 'For construction purposes ,`port 1 3 is threaded to the outside of housing 3` and then sealed by screw 31.

Each operating part within valve Z includes at least one O ring 32 to prevent pressure leaks, and piston 9 includes a semi-conical shaped removable valve 33 which is adapted to engage the valve seat 34 at the rear end of sleeve piston "8. The yball 10 is adapted to engage the internal valve seat 35 of sleeve piston 8 in sealing relationV whenever ball 10 is engaged by pin l1 Vdue to the action of spring 21 against piston 8. Pin |11. acts as a stationary base lagainst which one end of compression spring 36 abuts. The'other end of spring 36 engages valve 33 to force piston 9 rearward when the pressure in bore 29 behind the piston drops below a predetermined value. A pair of aligned'slotted ports 37 in sleeve piston 8 determine the amount and direction of movement of this pistonu relative to -`stationary `pin 11. The three sections 14--16 are held'together by throughbolts 38 and their attached nuts 39.

' The` 'arrangement shown in Figures 8 and 9 is one embodiment of the control valve 2 in a fluid circuit for controlling the operation of a liuid device such as power jack 40 employed td extend and retract a machine tool (not shown) which is to be attached to lug 41 of piston `42'for reciprocal movement therewith; Once the A. circuit vis `placed in operation by` opening the manual cont'rolfvalve V43, fluid Afrom inlet pressure line 44 isI directed through lines '45 and 46 into port Vv5 and thence4 intobore 29 to move Vpiston 9 forward until it uncovers lockingrport 13 allowing the pressure from the inlet line 44 through. channelto to enter bore V29 and vkeep sup- Rear section v16includes the previ- 3 plying pressure to the back side of piston 8 even though the manual valve 43 may have been released. The pressure in bore 29 continues to be maintained until valve 33 of piston 9 is irmly seated against valve seat 34 and until exhaust port 7 is closed ol, and as the pressure continues sleeve piston 8 will be moved forward off ball 10 thus allowing pressure fro'm inlet port 4 to enter through axial hole 47 to the interior of sleeve piston 8 and then radially out through slots 37 and into counterbore 18 and through counterbo're Z4 and out di-` recting port 6 and thence through line 48: and'into `cylinderV 49 of power. jack 40.V This lactionzpressurizes theV cylinder 49 and moves piston 42 in its extending direction until its actuator arm 50 strikes the normallyv closed valve 51 toopen it and exhaustrthe pressure from lineV 52 to vrelieve the pressure inV the counterbore 29 faster than channel 30 can maintainy it. Springs'21l and 36 then take over and are able to overcomezthe fluid pressure and return the sleeve piston 8 andthelpiston '9 re-VV spectively to their initial' positions; vWhen this occurs; the spring 53 in cylinder 49 returns:pistong.42 toits initial positio'n and in so doing forces the' lluid back through line 48, port 6, sleeveg8'and outv to exhaust through port 7 (Fig.V 8). The complete apparatus is then ready to repeat the operating cycle whichwill begin; as soon as lug 50 fully depresses the automaticstartingV valve `54. A manually operated return valve 55 is' included in line 52 to provide-selectivemanual operation if desired and also provide a safety feature incase any diculty is encountered in the automatic operation.

The invention is not limited toV the constructioniherein shown and described, butmay be-made invariousA ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: .s

1. In a control circuit for automatically' cycling and operating a reciprocating fluid jack from a luid control valve; a uid jack having a piston, said piston including valve depressing means thereon, a master uidcontrolV valve connected in operating relation with-saidV jack, a starting valve and a reversing valve in operatingrelation with said master valve and also vin operatingalignment with said valve depressing means, a uid passage meansV within said master control valve to supply uid pressurev to extend said jack upon actuation offsaid starting valve, means to retract said jack upon actuation'of said reversing valve, said lluid passage means co'mprising a'housing,. a spring loaded sleeve moving in said housingv in response to pressure, a spring loaded piston in said housing adapted to move against itsspring pressure and to move said sleeve against its spring pressure in response` to lHuid pressure behind said piston,'saidstarting valve' when actuated supplying uid pressure behind said piston.

2. In a co'ntrol circuit for automatically cycling and operating a reciprocating lluid` jackfrom a uid control valve; a iluid jack having a piston, said piston including valve depressing means thereon,- a masterY fluid controlV valve connected in operating relationV withl said jack, a starting valve and a reversingvalve. inoperating-relation with said master valve and also' in operating alignment with said valve depressingmeans, a lluid `passage means within said master control valve tol supplyfluid pressure to extend said jack upon actuation of-saidstartingvalve,

means -to retract said jack upon actuation of saidreversing valve, sa1d fluid passagemeans comprisinga housing, a spring loaded sleeveV -movinginsaidhousinga in response to pressure, a spring. loaded piston -in-said'. housing adapted to move againstlits spring pressure andtofmove said sleeve Vagainst its spring pressure inY response to 3. A co'ntrol circuit for automatically operating a tluid device from a iluid pressure'source, comprising: a uid device having a movable member, a master iluid control valve having a housing connected in operating relation to said device, a iluid pressure source, a fluid passage through said master valve from said source to' said device, a remote valve for opening said passage, and a second remote valve for closing said-passage, said member including means for actuating said remote valves, an axially slideable sleeve within said housing, said sleeve including peripheral slots and including a valve seat in said fluid passage, a stationary pin in said housing and passing through said sleeve slots to permit relative movement of said sleeve` to said pin, aA ball'insideV said sleeve and positioned between said pin and valve seat whereby axial movement of said sleeve in one-direction will cause said seat to engage said ball while forcing it against said pin to thus close said passage, and wherebyY movement in said other direction will open said passage and means within said master valve to cause said o'ther direction movement when said rst remote valve is opened.

4. A pressure balance control valve for directing a very large iluid pressure to a iluid operated device by the application of a very small force to the valve, comprising: a housing, a series of pressure cavities in said lhousing including an inlet, directing and control cavity, an axially movable hollow sleeve extending into all said cavities, an axial inlet hole at one end of said sleeve, an exhaust valve seat at the outer end of said sleeve, an axially movable piston adapted for limited movement in the same cavity into which said valve seat end of said sleeve extends, a valve on the back side of said piston in alignment with said valve seat, a valve means including a stationary member in said sleeve and in alignment with said inlet hole, an inlet cavity spring in said inlet cavity in operational relation with said sleeve and acting to normally cause said valve means to close said inlet hole, a second spring between said stationary member and said piston to normally prevent said piston valve from closing said sleeve valve seat, an inlet pressure supply connected to said inlet cavity, and means to direct a small pressure from said supply to the back side of said piston to cause said piston to move axially in said control cavity until said piston valve engages and closes said valve seat and moves said sleeve against the pressure of said inlet spring until said inlet hole has moved away from said valve meansV to permit said pressure to reach the interior of said sleeve, a directing port on said housing in communication with the interior of said sleeve through said directing cavity, a by-pass pressure line from said inlet supply to said control cavity to hold said piston in a position of engagement with said sleeve as long as a balanced pressure is maintained on the front of said piston, and means to quickly release said balanced pressure and permit said sleeve and piston to return to their initial positions under the urging of said springs.

5. A pressure balance control valve for directing a very large fluid pressure by the application of a Vsmall force to the valve, comprising: a housing, an inlet, a directing, and a control cavity in said housing; an inlet pressure supply port connected to said inlet cavity, a directing port connected to said directing cavity and a control port and an exhaust port both connected to said control cavity: an

uid pressure behind said piston, said startingvalve when. y

actuated supplying iluid pressure-behindA sad .piston, a

simultaneouslyY against said Ystop and valveseatlto' shut oli-therfluidi-passagedhrough'said controlvalvel'e munication means from said inlet port to said directing port and additional communication means from said directing -port to said exhaust port, one valve means`-to normally close off said communication means to said directing port, and a second valve means' to normally open said additional communication means; and means to supply a small pressure to said second valve-means to simultaneously close said additional communicationl y,6. A pressure balance control valve as in claim f'S characterized by the inclusion `of bypass means for said inlet port'to said control port to automatically maintain a sucient pressure 'balance to hold said second valve means in the last named position until the pressure in said control port is released quickly to the atmosphere, and means to release said control port pressure quickly;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lower Dec. 28, 1920 Chalker Oct. 28, 1930 Kingsbury Apr. 23, 1935 Jones Nov. 6, 1956 Chrittenden Aug. 20, 1957 

